President Bola Tinubu on Sunday applauded the gallantry and professionalism of Nigeria’s armed forces for their swift response to an urgent request from the Government of the Republic of Benin to defend its 35-year-old democracy from a dawn coup attempt.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to the Presidency, the intervention followed two separate requests transmitted through Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Acting on these appeals, President Tinubu ordered the Nigerian Air Force to enter Beninese airspace, secure it, and assist in dislodging the coup plotters who had seized the National Television station and later regrouped at a military camp.
The Note Verbale from Benin sought immediate air support from Nigeria “in view of the urgency and seriousness of the situation and to safeguard the constitutional order, protect national institutions and ensure the security of the population.”
A second request called for the deployment of Nigerian Air Force assets for surveillance and rapid-intervention missions under Beninese coordination. Benin also requested that Nigerian ground troops—restricted to tasks approved by its command authority—be deployed to protect constitutional institutions and contain armed groups.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, confirmed that all requests had been executed and that Nigerian ground forces were already operating inside Benin.
“Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu,” he said.
Benin’s constitutional order was disrupted early Sunday when a group of soldiers led by Colonel Pascal Tigri announced the overthrow of President Patrice Talon, claiming control of the state broadcaster and suspending democratic institutions. Loyal government forces, supported by Nigeria, retook the National Television station after several hours and flushed out the putschists.
In his remarks after normalcy was restored, President Tinubu praised the Nigerian armed forces for standing firm in defence of democratic governance in West Africa.
“Today, the Nigerian armed forces stood gallantly as a defender and protector of constitutional order in the Republic of Benin, on the invitation of its government.
“Our armed forces acted within the ambit of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. They have helped stabilise a neighbouring country and made us proud of their commitment to sustaining our democratic values and ideals since 1999. Nigeria stands firmly with the government and people of the Republic of Benin,” he said.
